Guest blog by Gordon Smith, residential volunteer/reserve assistant
As I start to write this blog I have just finished a thoroughly enjoyable spell as a residential volunteer at the RSPB’s flagship reserve – of course the one and only Minsmere. I was fortunate enough to spend almost a whole year at Minsmere, having arrived in early October last year and leaving just at the end of August.
As I look back I remember it being all go from the first weekend I arrived. Unknown to me, a little crake had been spending time around Bittern Hide so my first experience of entering the hide was to be met by what seemed like at least seventy people crammed inside. I thought Minsmere really is a popular place! I soon realised there was a special attraction and even managed to catch a glimpse of the elusive little bird.
That’s one of the many benefits of residential volunteering and therefore living on site – having Minsmere on your doorstep. In terms of birds, the time I have spent has enabled me to see so many species that I had never seen back home in Scotland. Being able to see the Minsmere regulars such as marsh harriers, bitterns, avocets and bearded tits never grows old. Additionally, the chance to see some of the rare and interesting visitors such as bluethroats, phalaropes and bee-eaters has been brilliant. My personal favourite was seeing a white-tailed eagle above the Minsmere reedbed, sending every other bird into a panic!
Of course it’s not just about the birds. Being able to experience first-hand how such a large and diverse reserve changes throughout the year has been very valuable. As Minsmere’s many habitats change with the seasons, the management obviously changes too. The chance to play a part in managing such a range of habitats from reedbed to heathland and many more has been very interesting. I have learnt so much from the experienced and knowledgeable team on how to manage habitats for nature and visitors alike. Just being part of such a great team of staff and volunteers has made whatever the task enjoyable and a learning experience.
One of my last days, brushcutting on the Scrape
The great part of volunteering is not just understanding how habitats and species are conserved and managed, it is being able to learn the skills to do this. I have picked up a number of new qualifications such as using tools like brushcutters and clearing saws, whilst also learning how to operate ATVs and tractors amongst many other skills. Other than hands on conservation work, I have also been able to get involved with surveying and monitoring. During my time at Minsmere, I was able to survey a number of species including water voles, harriers, waders, bitterns, waterfowl, nightjars and many more. During spring and summer especially, there is so much surveying to do that it really does not feel like work at all!
Although based at Minsmere, I was able to spend a lot of my time working at other nearby RSPB reserves such as Dingle Marshes and North Warren. I even managed to go a bit further afield to some of the South Suffolk reserves like Havergate Island. A team of us even went up to Snettisham in Norfolk to help construct a new boardwalk. It has been great working on different reserves and habitats across the region and of course with great people.
I cannot recommend the residential volunteering scheme enough and especially volunteering at Minsmere. Over the last 11 months I have learnt and seen so much that is difficult explain and quantify in a blog. I guess the best way is to come and try it yourself!
You can find out more about volunteering for the RSPB here.